Philosophy 302: Plato and Aristotle

Course Description

This course surveys the essential content of the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle and considers more briefly some of the earlier thinkers whose ideas form the immediate context for their works. We will begin with dialogues in which Plato's is thought to give a reasonable accurate depiction of his mentor Socrates, and will focus on the ethical theses defended in these works and on the standards for knowledge presupposed by them. We will then observe how these theses and standards, in combination with certain ideas and problems from pre-Socratic thought, lead Plato to develop the first philosophical system: an integrated set of ideas about the fundamental nature of reality, man, knowledge, and value. We will then turn to Aristotle’s formulation of the principles of logic and the structure of science. Finally, we will study Aristotle's own philosophical system, with a focus on the ways in which it is similar to and different from Plato's.

Instructor and Course Information

Instructor: Gregory Salmieri ([email protected], 412-576-2990)

Meetings: Friday 11:30am – 2:30pm, Murray Hall 115

Required Books

Reeve (tr.), Plato: Republic, Hackett (ISBN-10: 0872207366, ISBN-13: 978-0872207363). [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble]

Irwin and Fine (tr.), Aristotle: Selections (ISBN-10: 0915145677, ISBN-13: 978-0915145676). [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble]

Adamson, Classical Philosophy, Oxford University Press (ISBN-10: 0199674531, ISBN-13: 978- 0199674534). [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble]

Additional readings available online.

Grading

There will be ten quizzes over the course of the semester, administered through Sakai, which will be collectively worth 20% of the grade, two papers each worth 30% of the grade, and a final exam worth 20%. Extra credit will be awarded for excellent participation in class discussions.

Tentative Schedule

The following schedule is tentative, and students should not rely on it. Readings for each class session are associated with the calendar entry for the session, and may be updated over the course of the semester. The assignment due-dates listed here are also tentative, but no assignment will be due earlier than the date listed here.

Date Topics Readings 9/5  Introduction to the Course  Salmieri, A Budget Tour of  Three strands in Greek thought Ancient Greek Philosophy Before prior to Socrates Socrates,A-B (pp. 1-5)  Adamson, Classical Philosophy, chapters 1, 12, and 15 9/12  Socrates’ Project  Plato, Apology  Socrates view of knowledge  Plato, Euthyphro  Some Socratic ethical ideas  Plato, Protagoras, 310b-319a  Plato, Laches, 184d-192b  Plato, Meno, 70a-77a  Adamson, chapter 14 9/19  Socratic Ethics  Plato, Meno, 77b-79e  Plato, Gorgias, 466b-468e, 468e- 472c, 474b-475e, 507a-e, 508c- 509a  Plato, Protagoras, 319b-320c, 329b-330b, 332a-334c, 349b- 362a  Plato, Euthydemus, 278e-282d  Plato, Philebus, 11b-d, 20b-23a  Adamson, chapter 17 9/26  Three influences on Plato:  Plato, Meno 80a-100c Heraclitus, Parmenides and the  Budget Tour, C-E Pythagoreans  Adamson, chapters 4-6, 18.  The Theory of Recollection  Virtue as a form of opinion 10/3  The Theory of Forms  Plato, Phaedo  The opposition between soul  Plato, Cratylus, 439a-440a and body  Aristotle, Metaphysics, I.6  The proof of the soul’s 987a30-b14 immortality  Plato, Republic, V, 475c-480a  Adamson, Chapter 20 10/10  The Republic’s project  Reeve, summaries of Republic I-III  The Tri-partite theory of the  Plato, Republic II 357a-376c soul  Plato, Republic III, 412b-417b  The four virtues  Plato, Republic IV, 419a-427c  Reeve, summaries of Republic IV- X  Plato, Republic IV, 427d-445e  Plato, Republic IX, 580d-592b  Plato, Phaedrus, 246a-249d  Adamson, chapter 21 10/17  The epistemology of the  Plato, Republic VI 504e-511e Republic  Plato, Republic VII 511e-521b  Review of Platonism  Adamson, chapter 22 10/24  TBA  TBA

10/31  Introduction to Aristotle  Aristotle, Metaphysics A.1  Aristotle on Predication  Aristotle, Topics I.5  Aristotelian Logic  Aristotle, Prior Analytics I.1, 4.  Adamson, chapters 29-30  Shields, “Aristotle” (in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), sections 1 and 2.  Smith, “Aristotle’s Logic” (in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), sections 1 – 5 11/7  Aristotle on Science  Aristotle, Posterior Analytics I.2-4, II.8-10, 19  Aristotle, Topics I.1  Adamson, chapter 31  Smith, “Aristotle’s Logic” (in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), section 7-8 11/14  Aristotle on Substance  Aristotle, Categories 1-5  Hylomorphism  Aristotle, Physics I.7, II.1, 3, 8-9  The four causes  Aristotle, Generation and Corruption I.4  Budget Tour, G  Adamson, chapters 33-34 11/21  Aristotle on Nature (2/2)  Aristotle, Metaphysics VII.1-3, 13, 17; VIII.1-3  Aristotle, De Anima II.1-3  Adamson, chapters 35  11/26  Aristotle’s Ethics  Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics I.1- 5, 7, 13, II, IV.3, 5, VI.1-2, 4-5, 8, 12, VII.1-3  Adamson, chapter 37 12/5  Aristotle’s Ethics (continued)  Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, X.6-8  Adamson, chapter 39